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Of Mice and Men Study Guide

Chapter 1 (pg. 1-18)

1. What is the setting of the novel? List examples from page 1 that provide clues to the
setting.
The setting starts off in a beautiful valley, with mountains and a riverbed. A
few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and
runs deep and green. On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to
the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains

2. Describe the atmosphere that is created by the imagery in the first two paragraphs of
the novel.
The atmosphere that is created is very peaceful and calm. The author wrote
how lizards ran along the crisp leaves that lies deep within the sandy banks
under the trees, and how rabbits come and sit on the sand

3. List words to describe Lennie.

Shapeless face, large pale yes, wide sloping shoulders, walked heavily dragging his
feet, arms are hung loosely

4. List words to describe George.

Small, quick, dark of face, restless eyes, strong features, small but strong
hands, thin and bony nose

5. To what animals is Lennie compared to in chapter 1? What do the comparisons

imply about him?
horse (pg. # 3 )- Messy
bear (pg. # 3)- Clumsy
terrier (pg. # 9 )- obedient

6. Why were George and Lennie run out of Weed?

Lennie felt a girl's soft dress, and she thought he was trying to rape her, so she told the men in charge
that Lennie was trying to kill her, so L + G had to flee.
7. What things does Lennie do and say that make him like a child?
He copies what George is doing, he does whatever George wants him to do, he cries
when George threw away his mouse

8. Does George really want Lennie to go away? Explain your answer.

George doesnt want Lennie to go away because despites the fact that Lennie is a pain
in the butt, George still enjoys his company. I think George likes being more
intelligent and more superior than George

9. What is the meaning of the phrase, An live off the fatta the lan ?
It means they will provide for themselves

10. Where does George tell Lennie to hide if he gets into trouble? What literary device is
being used here?

George tell Lennie to hide in a bush.

11. What does Lennie have hidden in his hand, and why does he want to keep it?

Lennie have dead mouse in his hand. He wants to keep it because his aunt used to
give him mice as pets when he was a kid

12. Who was the lady who used to give mice to Lennie? Why did she stop?

She is Lennies Aunt Clara. She stopped giving Lennie mice because he always kill
them by accident
13. How does George react when Lennie repeatedly says that he likes ketchup on
his beans? Why does George react this way? What else does Lennie desire that he
cant have?

George exploded and started the roast Lennie by telling him how much a pain in the
ass he is. George react this way bc he is annoyed at how stupid George is. Lennie
desires rabbits

14. Does Lennie get into trouble on purpose? Explain.

I think Lennie is just trying to lighten the mood bc George is too serious. Also, I think
Lennie just want more attention from George.

15. Define exposition and explain the relevance of this term to chapter 1.
 Exposition is used to describe the background, event and setting of a story. Chapter
one introduced us to where the story will take place, and introduced us to the clumsy
Lennie and know-it-all George.

Chapter 2 (pg. 19-37)

1. Who greeted George and Lennie at the bunkhouse? What is his job?

Candy the farmer; he is the janittor

2. What unusual habits does Whitey have? What do his habits say about him?
Wash his hands after he eats, keeps things super clean, peel his potatoes and take
out every little spot before he eat it, scratch off the red spotches on an egg, dress up
on Sunday even he wasnt going anywhere

3. Whom did the boss punish because George and Lennie were late? Why? What
theme is Steinbeck touching upon here?

The boss punished the stable boy because he was black and at that time blacks were
treated as animals

4. What story does the boss tell about Smitty and the stable buck?

5. Explain the significance, symbolism, or irony of some of the characters names.

Lennie Small- his last name is small but in the book, he is described as a big guy
Crooks the stable buck has suffered injuries to his back, looks somewhat crooked
when he stands
Curleys wife has no names but is known for flirting with other men

6. Who is the skinner? What is the purpose of the skinner?

The skinner is Slim and he is the leader of all the working men

7. What is a bucker?
Someone who moves heavy objects

8. Why does George answer all of the questions directed at Lennie?

He doesnt want Lennie to say anything stupid, he doesnt want the old man to think that
Lennie is Dumb

9. To what animal is Lennie now compared? What is the implication of this

comparison?
10. How does the boss react to Georges friendship with Lennie? Why?

He wonders why George is willing to take care of Lennie because he is not used to seeing
close friends such as them

11. What excuse does George offer for Lennies slowness? What other lie does he tell?

That he got kicked in the head as a kid by a horse, he tells the lie that Lennie and George
are cousins

12. Who is Curley? How does he react to Lennies silence?

Curley is the bosss son and he is mad that Lennie isnt responding to his questions but
George is

13. How does Curley respond to the idea that Lennie and George travel together?

He thinks something is odd

14. What does Candy mean by the comment, Curleys pretty handy?

It means that Curley is good at fighting and likes to fight

15. Describe Curley. How does he get away with fighting big guys?

He is thin, has brown eyes and tight curly hair. He gets away with fighting big guys
because whether he win or loses he will gain the crowds favor

16. Define stereotype. To what character might this term best apply? Why?

Stereotype a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a person or thing

17. What uneasy feeling does George have about Curleys wife?

He thinks that she will get involved with Lennie

18. What reason does Curleys wife give for going to the bunkhouse? What does Candy
think is her reason?

She says shes looking for Curley; Candy thinks that shes there to be with other men

19. Describe Candys connection to his dog. How is Candys relationship with his dog
reflective of Georges relationship with Lennie?

Candy is very close with his dog; Lennie is strong and can work hard but without George he
will get in all sorts of trouble. Candys dog is a liability just like Lennie because he depends
of Candy to survive.

20. What is Carlsons chief complaint about Candys dog? What does he think Candy
should do with the dog?

He says Candys dog is too old and stinks a lot. He also said the dog is useless and that it
should be put out of its misery.

21. Based on what you have read, do you think Lennie will stay out of trouble? Why or
why not?

I think that Lennie will stay out of trouble because so far he is doing well. He just have to
listen to George and hell do ok. The only problem hell have is probably with Curley.

Chapter 3 (pg. 38-65)

1. Who is Slim? What is his job on the ranch?

2. What kind act does Slim do for Lennie?

3. How does Slim react to George and Lennies traveling together? Why?

4. What do the ranch hands do for recreation? On the ranch? In town?

Ranch
1.
2.
3.
In town
1.

5. What caused George to stop playing mean-spirited jokes on Lennie?

6. Why did George tell Slim about what happened in Weed? What detail is added to the
Weed story when George confides in Slim?

7. Specifically describe what Carlson does with Candys dog. Do you think it was the
right thing to do? Why or why not?

8. What is the attraction of the vision of the farm and the rabbits to Candy? What role
does Candy have in helping George and Lennie try to buy land?

9. Why does Candy say that he should have shot his own dog?

10. Why is Slim angry with Curley when they return to the bunkhouse?

11. Why does Curley attack Lennie? What happens to Curley? Why do they lie about
the fight?

12. Why does George bring up the subject of Andy Cushman?

Chapter 4 (pg. 66-83)

1. Why is Crooks jealous of Lennies friendship with George?

2. How does Crooks fill his loneliness?

3. Why does Lennie wander into Crooks room? What was Crooks reaction?
4. Why is Crooks rude to Lennie?

5. What is Crooks initial evaluation of Lennie?

6. How does Crooks taunt Lennie? Why does Crooks relent in his taunting of
Lennie?

7. How does Crooks feel about Lennies dream of livin off the fatta the lan ?

8. Why does Curleys wife interrupt Crooks, Candy, and Lennie?

9. Does Curleys wife really know what happened to his hand? What is her reaction
to the incident?

10. What is Curleys wifes reaction to the dream of the farm with the rabbits?

11. How does the promise of the farm embolden Candy and Crooks?

12. Why does Crooks abandon the dream of the farm?

Chapter 5 (pg. 84-108)

1. What has Lennie done as the section opens?

2. What is Lennies fear?

3. When Lennie does not want to talk to Curleys wife, how does she react?
(Physically, what does she do?)
 4. What personal information does Curleys wife reveal to Lennie in the barn?

5. Why does Curleys wife get angry when Lennie tells her that George said he
shouldnt talk to her?

6. What was Curleys wifes dream? She indicates that life with Curley is not
what she wanted for herself.

7. Why does Curleys wife offer to let Lennie stroke her hair?

8. What does Lennie do to her? How?

9. Why does Lennie leave Curleys wifes body in the barn, but take the puppy
with him when he leaves?

10. What do George and Candy think will happen to Lennie?

11. Where does Lennie go? Why?

12. Whom does Candy blame for the murder? Why is he so angry at what has
happened?

13. Why does George leave and then return to the scene of the crime with the others?

14. What is Curleys reaction to his wifes death? Who seems saddest out of the rest
of the men?
 15. What does Slim think should happen to Lennie? What does he think will
happen?

16. Who does Carlson think has stolen his Luger pistol?

Chapter 6 (pg. 109-118)

1. Where does Lennie hide?

2. Describe Lennies unusual hallucination. What is really happening?

3. What is the purpose of Aunt Claras appearance in Lennies hallucination?

4. What does Lennie fear his punishment will be?

5. What is George going to do to Lennie? How does he do it?

6. What situation does this parallel? What elements of the novel foreshadowed this
final scene?

7. Why does George lie to the others about what really happened?

8. When Georgeobviously upsetand Slim go for a drink, Carlson remarks, Now

what the hell ya suppose it eatin them two guys? Why doesnt he understand?

9. Explain how the novel has come full circle. What similarities are there between
chapters 1 and 6?